NRNA Support for Athletes Competing in World Karate Championship

Kathmandu. The Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) has provided tracksuits to the Nepali team participating in the 27th edition of the Senior World Karate Championship. 

The NRNA Sports Academy organized an event at Korean Barbecue in Lalitpur to present the tracksuits to the Nepali team.

Two female athletes will participate in the competition, which is scheduled from November 27 to 30. The Karate Federation announced that Erika Gurung will compete in the above 68kg category, and Sanumaya Thing will compete in the individual Kata event. 

The officials accompanying the team include Nepal Karate Federation President Yuvraj Lama, General Secretaries Dawa Gurung and Krishna Prasad Gautam, Team Manager Ravi Maharjan, and Coaches Kushal Shrestha and Mannekaji Shrestha.Tara Gurung and athlete Santosh Shrestha will also travel to Egypt with the team.

Offering best wishes to the team, Manoj Kumar Shrestha 'Gorkhali', Vice-President of NRNA and Head of the Sports Department, stated that the organization is always ready to support Nepali athletes. 

He committed to supporting athletes from other sports, not just karate, in the future. He also mentioned that NRNA is prepared to collaborate on overseas training for athletes aiming for the Mission 2026 and 2028 Olympic Games. 

Furthermore, he welcomed the government's decision to schedule the 10th National Games for Falgun (February/March) and announced that the NRNA team would also compete in the tournament, for which preparations have already begun. 

He recalled, "We have been participating as a departmental team since the 8th National Games, where we won 16 medals, and in the 9th National Games, we secured 24 medals. Now, we will participate in the 10th edition with good preparation.

"Min Krishna Maharjan, former Youth and Sports Minister of Bagmati Province and Provincial Assembly Member, stated that he would always be active in the development of the karate sport. 

He emphasized that discipline is the first prerequisite for athletes and remarked that it is not right for some people to only take credit when athletes win medals. 

Similarly, Deepak Lama, Member Secretary of the National Sports Development Council (Bagmati Province), offered his best wishes and informed the audience that various plans are currently underway. 

He stated that he believes in results-oriented work rather than publicity-oriented work, and they are preparing to launch a pilot project to introduce a curriculum in some local-level schools.

Athlete Erika Gurung expressed that getting to play in the World Championship is a great achievement for them. 

She urged the public not to evaluate athletes solely based on the result of the game, saying, "Once an athlete steps onto the field, they either win or they learn." 

Rabi Kiran Adhikari, CEO of the Non-Resident Nepali Association, welcomed everyone to the program and acknowledged that athletes are the ones who make Nepal proud. 

He reiterated that NRNA is always ready to support the success of the athletes.